Come Sail Away
| "Come Sail Away" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Styx | ||||
| from the album The Grand Illusion | ||||
| B-side | "Put Me On" | |||
| Released | 1977 | |||
| Format | 7" vinyl | |||
| Recorded | 1977 | |||
| Genre | Progressive rock | |||
| Length | 3:10 (single), 6:07 (album) | |||
| Label | A&M | |||
| Writer(s) | Dennis DeYoung | |||
| Producer | Styx | |||
| Styx singles chronology | ||||
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"Come Sail Away" is a song by American progressive rock group Styx, featured on the band's seventh album The Grand Illusion (1977). Upon its release as the lead single from the album, "Come Sail Away" charted at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100, and helped The Grand Illusion achieve multi-platinum sales in 1978. It is one of the biggest hits of Styx' career.
Contents |
Content [edit]
Musically, "Come Sail Away" combines a plaintive, ballad-like opening section (including piano and synthesizer interludes) with a bombastic, guitar-heavy second half. In the middle of the second half of the album version is a minute-long synthesizer instrumental break.
Background and writing [edit]
Styx member Dennis DeYoung revealed on In the Studio with Redbeard (which devoted an entire episode to the making of The Grand Illusion), that he was depressed when he wrote the track after Styx's first two A&M offerings, Equinox and Crystal Ball, sold fewer units than expected after the success of the single "Lady".
Peak positions [edit]
| Chart (1977) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[1] | 9 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 8 |
In popular culture [edit]
Appears in the South Park episode Cartman's Mom Is Still a Dirty Slut. Cartman is unable to hear part of the song and leaves it unfinished. On Chef Aid: The South Park Album he does a cover of the song.
It was also used on the pilot episode of Freaks and Geeks.
The song has taken on a cult following at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan. Playing off the school's mascot of the Lakers, a captain of a vessel that would be used on the Great Lakes, the song was used to record the official GVSU LipDub in 2010, and has since been played with regularity by the school's pep band and marching band before and during home football and basketball games at the school. The song is also played during the pilot episode of Freaks and Geeks
This song was used in the ending credit of the popular youtube video created by DC Shoes Gymkhana Five: Ultimate Urban Playground; San Francisco as well. Now, it has over 45,000,000 views since July of 2012.
